With the death last month of Dodge City native Dennis Hopper, the American cinema lost one of its great rebel actors and directors.
I was tempted to choose "Easy Rider" as the subject for this post, but the fact is I just don't like that movie as much as "Apocalypse Now." And Hopper's performance in the latter is just brilliant: It provides rare moments of levity in a war film so harrowing that, after multiple viewings, I still feel traumatized watching some of the scenes in it.
Hopper's performance as a combat photographer gone off his rails is at once zany and disturbing, and it serves as a foil to Martin Sheen's (mostly) serious-minded Capt. Willard. Willard's mission is to find and "terminate" the command of Marlon Brando's Kurtz, a colonel who has run amok in the midst of the Vietnam conflict.
"Apocalypse Now" also features excellent performances by Laurence Fishburne, Albert Hall, Frederic Forrest and Sam Bottoms. Hopper doesn't get much screen time in comparison with them, but it doesn't matter. He makes the most of every second he spends in front of the camera, playing the fool to great effect.
Dennis Hopper will be remembered for many cinematic accomplishments. "Apocalypse Now" helped restart his career at a time when his reputation was suffering. See it if you haven't already; revisit it if it's one of your favorites. (Note: This review references the original version of the movie; the library's collection also includes the expanded "Apocalypse Now Redux".)